In the years following the American Revolution, the United States did not need to acquire any new land in order to expand because it held plenty of unsettled territory. The land bordered by the Ohio River to the south, the Appalachian Mountains to the east, and the Mississippi River to the west, would become known as the Northwest Territory. This area was previously known as the Ohio Valley.
When the United States was governed under the Articles of Confederation, leaders feared that settlers would move west of the Appalachian Mountains and try to start their own country. To prevent this, the United States government passed 3 Northwest Land Ordinances.
This first ordinance which was passed in 1784 stated the Northwest Territory should be divided up so that it could eventually become several states. It did not, however, say how to divide the territory.
The second land ordinance was passed in 1785 and it specifically described how land would be divided. The federal government sent out land surveyors to map and size the area of the land. They divided the territory into equal sized townships. Each township was divided into sections. One section was set aside for schools, two more for the federal government, and one other for veterans of the American Revolution. The rest would be sold so the federal government could pay off its debts from the American Revolution.
The third ordinance, passed in 1787, allowed Congress to divide the Northwest Territory into 3 to 5 separate territories. It also established temporary governments for each territory and specified how those territories could become states.
Statehood in 3 steps:
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established a three step plan for potential states in the Northwest Territory to become part the United States:
Congress would appoint leaders including a Governor and 3 Judges until the population of voters reached 5,000.
When the population reached at least 5,000 voters (free adult males), the residents could elect their own leaders.
Once 60,000 people (both male and female) resided in a territory, the territory could apply for statehood. The residents could hold a constitutional convention, draft a state constitution, and submit the document necessary to the US Congress for approval to become a state.
The Northwest Ordinances also outlawed slavery in the Northwest Territory!
The Northwest Ordinances were seen as a strength of the Articles of Confederation.